Concord - A series of tweets from a Shaheen campaign fundraiser hosted by hosted by prominent mega-lobbyist Tom O'Neill disappeared yesterday after widespread criticism. Senator Shaheen attended the event at the Boston offices of lobbying firm O'Neil and Associates to discuss "the effects of the [Affordable Care Act] on [New Hampshire's] healthcare landscape" according to tweets from twitter handles controlled by the firm and Mr. O'Neill. Both tweets were later deleted.

Shaheen has refused to hold open town halls in New Hampshire to discuss ObamaCare.

"Senator Shaheen is happy to talk about health care with fat cat Boston lobbyists who represent insurance companies, but she refuses to hold a town hall meeting with New Hampshire voters who are directly affected by her deciding vote for ObamaCare," said NHGOP Chairman Jennifer Horn. "This serves as another reminded that Senator Shaheen is working for the special interests that are bankrolling her campaign instead of working for her constituents. It's clear that she has gone to Washington and lost touch with New Hampshire's fiscally responsible values."

Tom O'Neill, a well-connected former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor and son for former US House Speaker Tip O'Neill, is a lobbyist for big insurance companies according to his biography posted on his firm's website.

The Tweets Were Later Deleted After The Event Was Criticized: "Not long after the New Hampshire GOP highlighted the senator's fundraiser, that tweet and a photo of Shaheen at the firm's office were deleted. A little later, another tweet of the firm's namesake, Thomas P. O'Neill, posting with the senator was also deleted." (James Hohmann, "Boston lobbying firm deletes tweets from Shaheen's visit," Politico, 6/23/2014)

O'Neill Is a Lobbyist For The Insurance Industry: "O'Neill and Associates is known in the Bay State as a well-connected lobbying firm,saying on its web site, 'Our clients have full access to the resources of our senior professionals, whose careers in media, business and government present an unparalleled network of relationships upon which to draw.' O'Neill, according to his biography on the site, is, 'A longtime leader in Greater Boston's health care sector,' and 'has served in prominent roles on several health care governing boards including Tufts Health Plan, Mount Auburn Hospital and Caregroup... He currently acts as the the chair of the board for Tufts Health Plan Foundation.'" (John Distaso, "Shaheen visits top Beacon Hill insurance lobbyist as NHDP hits Brown on his Bay State ties," New Hampshire Journal, 6/23/2014)